Best Large Resin 3D Printer
Although fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing may be more common than stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, resin-based SLA printers provide top-notch quality. In general, resin prints come out with better quality and a smoother finish than filament-based FDM prints. However, one downside of stereolithography 3D printing is that most SLA printers feature much smaller build platforms than the average filament printer. Check out the best large resin 3D printers for big print jobs!
What is Resin SLA 3D Printing?
Stereolithography or SLA 3D printing works by lowering a build plate into a tank of resin. Layers of an object are then created with this photosensitive liquid resin by exposing it to an ultraviolet (UV) laser light source. Accordingly, the resin hardens into a specific shape layer-by-layer. Contrastingly, fused deposition modeling printing most often uses filament, usually ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or PLA (Polylactic Acid). The filament is then melted down in a tube and extruded onto a build platform where it's built layer upon layer.
Why Should You Buy a Large Resin 3D Printer?
Since resin printers harden a liquid, the resulting objects typically feature a smoother finish. On the other hand, filament prints can be rougher and have more obvious imperfections. Additionally, resin printers are capable of producing watertight designs.
But post-processing with resin printers is much more involved. Once completed, resin 3D prints need to be washed and cured whereas filament prints require little to no maintenance afterward. Cost is about the same for both, with printers available for all budgets. However, one advantage that most FDM printers have is a much larger build area. Still, large resin 3D printers are increasingly common. A big SLA printer lets you print wide, tall objects with ease. Alternatively, you can print several different small to medium-sized items at once for a print farm.
Why you should buy a big resin 3D printer:
- High-quality prints, usually better than FDM
- Capable of producing wide, tall prints
- Able to print multiple small-to-medium-sized prints in one batch
- SLA printers can generate watertight designs
Best Large Resin 3D Printer Overall - Elegoo Saturn
The Elegoo Saturn is a seriously large 3D printer. Boasting a massive build volume of 192 x 120 x 200 mm (7.55in x 4.72in x 7.87 in.), the Saturn can print large objects or even multiple simultaneous small to medium-sized prints. With a 4K monochrome LCD screen sporting a 3840 x 2400 resolution, the Elegoo Saturn delivers both quality and quantity.
What's more, the 8.9-inch monochrome 4K LCD screen achieves a 1.5-2 second reduction between layer print times which is about 60% faster than its flagship Mars Pro. A double linear Z-axis guide-way ensures stability and accuracy. With 4GB of onboard storage and an Ethernet port on the back, the Elegoo Saturn can handle over-network file transfers. The matrix UV light source is comprised of 54 UV LED lights for uniform light emissions. While the side-located USB port is easy enough to access, it's not quite as convenient as a front-facing USB port. But the side is much better than a rear-facing USB port. The Elegoo Saturn is an absolutely outstanding large resin 3D printer, and the best big SLA printer on the market.
Pros:
- Large build volume of 192 x 120 x 200 mm (7.55in x 4.72in x 7.87 in.)
- 8.9-inch 4K monochrome LCD screen (3840 x 2400 resolution)
- 1.5-2 second reduction in layer print times, 60% faster than the Elegoo Mars Pro
- Ethernet jack, 4GB of onboard storage for network file transfers
- Side-facing USB port
- Build platform rotates 90-degrees on the Z-axis to drip resin into the resin tank
- Feet on the resin tank let you put it on a table without damaging the FEP
Cons:
- Front-facing USB port might be slightly more convenient
Best Big Resin 3D Printer - ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X
The ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X is a huge resin-based 3D printer. There's a large build volume of 192 x 120 x 245 mm (7.55 x 4.7 x 9.6 in.). Its 4K 3840x2400 monochrome screen provides excellent print quality. Z-axis accuracy is extremely good at 0.01mm. And with 60mm/hour print speeds, the Photon Mono X mates fast print speeds with high-quality prints. There's Wi-Fi onboard, although it's a bit tricky to set up.
Unfortunately, the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X doesn't support the ChiTuBox slicer which is the go-to for most resin printers. Instead, it's limited to the Photon Workshop slicer or the Lychee slicer. Considering that preparing resin 3D prints has a difficult enough learning curve, support for a more standard slicer would have been nice. Still, this isn't a dealbreaker as the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X manages to create gorgeous prints. And with its big build volume, you can print large objects or multiple simultaneous smaller and medium-sized prints.
Pros:
- 192 x 120 x 245 mm (7.55 x 4.7 x 9.6 in.) build volume
- 60mm/hour print speed
- 0.01mm Z-axis accuracy
- Wi-Fi onboard
- Supports the Photon Workshop and Lychee slicers
- Fast, high-quality prints
- 8.9-inch 4K monochrome 3840x2400 LCD screen
Cons:
- Lacks ChiTuBox slicer support
- Wi-Fi is tricky to set up
Top Large SLA 3D Printer - Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K
Phrozen's Sonic Mighty 4K has an impressive 4K 3840 x 2160 resolution. Its 9.3-inch 4K monochrome LCD delivers excellent light uniformity alongside fast printing speeds. The large 20 x 12.5 x 22 cm build area can handle large prints or multiple minis. The 405nm ParaLED Matrix 2.0 is fantastic for curing prints, and the Phrozen Mighty 4K yields 0.01-0.30mm layer thickness.
Disappointingly, the Sonic Mighty 4K lacks network connectivity. You'll find a solitary USB port for offline file transfers. The resin vat is made of plastic which, while totally adequate, doesn't have the build quality of metal resin vats found on similarly-priced and speced printers like the Elegoo Saturn or ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X. Nevertheless, the Phrozen Sonic Mighty can print high-quality objects and quickly too. It's easy-to-use and has an enormous build area.
Pros:
- 9.3-inch 4K 3840 x 2160 LCD monochrome screen
- 20 x 12.5 x 22 cm build area
- 0.01-0.30mm layer thickness
- 405nm ParaLED Matrix 2.0 with excellent light uniformity
Cons:
- Lacks network connectivity
- Cheaply made plastic resin vat
Best Huge SLA Resin 3D Printer With a 5K Mono Screen - Epax E10
The Epax E10 is a unique big resin 3D printer. You can pick between 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch LCD screens. The 8.9-inch 4K monochrome screens is its default, though the Epax E10 is compatible with a 5K mono 10.1-inch screen. There's a modular design for simple upgrades. A molded resin vat is inexpensive and conducive to owning multiple vats, quite a handy feat, particularly for a print farm. Because you can replace the screen and mainboard, the Epax E10 is a versatile, customizable resin 3D printer capable of handling large print jobs. Unfortunately, the 5K variant does cost extra. And replacing the screen as well as mainboard is no simple feat, of course that goes for all resin 3D printers. You might also consider the Epax X133 with its whopping 13.3-inch UV LCD 4K mono screen, or the X10 with an 8.9-inch 4K mono LCD screen.
Pros:
- 8.9-inch 4K mono screen or optional 10.1-inch 5K mono LCD screen
- 192 x 120 x 250mm build volume (8.9-inch 4K version) or 216 x 135mm x 250mm on the 5K variant
- Modular design, upgradeable mainboard and LCD screen
- Can handle large prints jobs
- Fast printing
- Molded resin vat is inexpensive, conducive to having multiple vats
- USB and Ethernet connectivity
- Z-axis resolution: 0.01mm
- Layer resolution: 0.01-0.1mm
- Compatible with ChiTuBox slicer
Cons:
- 5K screen costs more
- Not the easiest to upgrade
Best Large Resin 3D Printers - Top Big SLA 3D Printers on the Market
Whether you need to print large objects, multiple simultaneous minis, or both, a large 3D resin printer is a great choice for serious 3D printing enthusiasts. The Elegoo Saturn 4K is the best overall large resin 3D printer with a reasonable price tag, fast printing speed, and excellent quality. Anycubic's Photon Mono X is a premium big SLA 3D printer that produces fast, beautiful prints. Phrozen's Sonic Mighty 4K boasts impressive print quality and, while it lacks network connectivity, remains fairly priced. Epax's E10 has the option to add a 10.1-inch 5K screen and a modular design that's perfect for hardcore DIYers. Whatever your needs, there's a large SLA resin-based 3D printer for you.
Your turn: Which big stereolithography 3D printers do you recommend for large, demanding print jobs?
Moe Long is an editor, writer, and tech buff with a particular appreciation for Linux, Raspberry Pis, and retro gaming. Writing online since 2013, Moe has bylines at MakeUseOf, TechBeacon, DZone, SmartHomeBeginner, DEV.to, DVD Netflix, and Electropages. You can read his writings on film and pop culture at Cup of Moe, check out his tech reviews, guides, and tutorials at Tech Up Your Life, and hear his thoughts on movies on the Celluloid Fiends podcast. Aside from writing and editing, Moe has an online course, the Beginner's Guide to Affiliate Blogging From Scratch. When he's not hammering away at his keyboard, he enjoys running, reading, watching cinema, listening to vinyl, and playing with his dog Sebastian.
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